Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award facts for kids

The Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award is a special prize given each year in the United States. It celebrates books for young adults that are really well-written. These books also need to be popular and show a positive way of looking at life.

This award is named after Amelia Elizabeth Walden. She passed away in Westport, Connecticut in 2002. Amelia Elizabeth Walden was a very important person in the world of young adult books. The award is given every year to an author chosen by a special committee from ALAN. ALAN stands for The Assembly on Literature for Adolescents, which is part of the National Council of Teachers of English.

History of the Award

How the Award Started

The Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award began in 2008. It was created to honor Amelia Elizabeth Walden's wishes. The winning author receives $5,000 each year. The first award was given out on November 23, 2009.

This award highlights books written for teens. These books should show a positive view of life. They also need to be popular with teens and have great writing.

About Amelia Elizabeth Walden

Amelia Elizabeth Walden was born in New York City on January 15, 1909. She went to Columbia University and also studied drama. From 1935 to 1945, she taught English and drama at Norwalk High School (Connecticut). She got married in 1946.

Her first novel, Gateway, was published in 1946. Amelia Elizabeth Walden wrote over 40 novels for young adults. She said she understood young people well. She remembered her own teen years as a time of fun and excitement. She passed away in 2002 in Westport, Connecticut.

How Books Are Chosen

The Selection Committee

A group of ten members from ALAN chooses the winning book. This committee includes teachers, university professors, and librarians. They work for one year and can be chosen again. They pick one winning book and up to four other great books as finalists.

What Books Need to Be Like

For a book to be considered, it MUST meet certain rules from Amelia Elizabeth Walden:

• It needs to be a fiction book, usually a novel. It can be a single book or part of a series.
• It must have been published within one year before the call for new books.
• It should be published in the United States first, but it might have been published elsewhere before.
• It must show a positive view of life, be popular with teens, and have strong writing.

A Positive Approach to Life

Books chosen for the award should:

• Treat teen readers as smart and thoughtful young people.
• Offer hope and good feelings, even when talking about tough situations.
• Have a believable and good ending.
• Show characters who are actively making their lives better. This is true even when they face hard times.

Widespread Teen Appeal

Books should also:

• Be written especially for readers aged 12 to 18.
• Have themes that are important to everyone, no matter the time or place.
• Connect with many different readers, no matter their background.
• Help readers understand the world better or see their own experiences reflected.

Literary Merit

Finally, books should have:

• Characters that are well-developed and feel real.
• A story structure that fits the book's purpose.
• Language and writing styles that make the story better.
• Clear and rich themes that make you think.
• A voice that feels true and honest.

Award Winners and Finalists

Other Awards for Young Readers

• Printz Award – This is an American Library Association award. It recognizes the best book for teens each year.
• Newbery Medal – This award is for American literature for children. Before 2000, it also included young adult books.
• Carnegie Medal – This British award is for literature for children or young adults.
• Guardian Prize – This prize is for fiction books for children or young adults. The authors are from Britain and Commonwealth countries.